"Mr Soldera was keener to make great wines than neighbourhood friends. He never hid his contempt for those who planted Sangiovese in inappropriate soil or used winemaking techniques that masked the grape’s character.

When not drinking his own wine, he would rather open bottles from Piedmont or—even more controversially, France—than endure a Brunello he considered inferior.

He was also an outspoken critic of rival wineries caught blending other grapes into their products in the 2008 “Brunello-gate” scandal. But he always denied he blew the whistle on them."

__________________________

Follow the Merlot.

It is probably vandalism from one of his rival neighboring vintners who will also benefit by the scarcity.

The criminal is someone he knows and has shared a bottle with.
Who owns a nearby winery.
Who produces a rival product.
Key may be mobile cellular location records.
And phone activity on the night of the crime and early the next morning.
Check for champagne sales the next day at the local exchange.
Check their galoshes for red wine stains--hard to remove.

It is only a handful of suspects.
Some will be shaken and some stirred.
But you will get to the bottom.
Good Luck.

1. How a sudden restriction to the supply of a rare commodity effects its price
2. How demand for a commodity is affected by publicizing its sudden rarity

TE makes it clear that the beneficiary of the payout is both an insurance and wine aficionado. The journalist implies that the value of any insurance payout is related in some unspecified way to the future value of a loss that can be valued at 30 MUSD in 2012 prices.

What do you think inspector Connects the Dots? Clever insurance job or a curious Economics student?

If you imply that the suggestion is incredible, and even outlandish , bear in mind that unfortunately some dishonest people have been know to arrange to have 'crimes' committed against them, usually for purposes of claiming against their insurance. I am not suggesting for one moment that this is the case here, but it is a distinct possibility and I am certain this would be one line of inquiry the police would be pursuing.

The suggestions Connect The Dots has made in his riposte might appear flippant and jocular but they do present serious leads to follow. It is really shocking that anyone could possibly allow such fine wine to literally go down the drain. Sabotage seems to be the most likely explanation, on the other hand anyone in possession of such a valuable commodity and who does not take all the necessary precautions to protect them, prima facie is complicit should they get lost , damaged or destroyed. I do not know the details of this case but it would appear Gianfranco Soldera should bear some of the culpability for the loss of his wine through negligence if not active connivance ... but again we do not have the full details. Perhaps his insurance would cover him for the loss of his wine and protect him from the serious pecuniary loss which he would otherwise have to bear.

Sigh, Taiwan only get the commercialized wines, not the cult wine of northern California nor the rare European imports available in Toronto. I hope the Xingjian wine fields will one day have the European caliber.